Headlight Modulator?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The brights or modulators will not cure this human fallacy. I know , or knew people with modulators and bright lights on who were killed anyway. They were not seen because of the human factor that they were looking for a car or truck and blocked out the motorcycle. Many studies have been done and the answer was always "I did not see him/her" because subconsciously they were looking for a car.

I don't have the link right now but there is a link somewhere here in the forum to an article by a British fighter pilot and biker where he discusses the physiological reality of "I never saw him." It is a real phenomenon caused by the way our brains function. A headlight modulator helps to overcome this limitation because the brain's attention is triggered by visual movements.

 

[Andy Cserny]

to modulate or not mdulate

The human brain notices MOTION and not so much the brightness of a light, although there is no arguing that the brighter a light is the more it will be seen. That is the reason that police lights, ambulance lights, RR Crossing lights, flashing brake lights all FLASH not just being bright. The human brain also notices larger objects more than smaller objects, early on noticing a sabertoothed tiger running at you was more important than noticing a rabbit. But the MOTION was the key, since a crouching tiger laying in wait went unnoticed until it started to MOVE.
I believe what pi$$es people off is modulating the HIGH beam just as it is annoying to have an unmodulated high beam coming at you day or night. I have modulated my low beam [ Gold Wings] for the past 230,000 miles or more and have never had a complaint or had a high beam flashed at me, but I have had flagmen at construction sites tell me they noticed me at a long distance and that is the whole point. Now if they are texting they will run into the side of a freight train. I drive defensively, look for turning front tires, flash my high beams if I think my right of way will be violated and slow down and have stopped to let some idiot, including a cop in Pigeon Forge, Tn cut in front of me.
Andy

 

[bruiser]

You have to have a modulator that will work with the can bus system on the RT.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

You have to have a modulator that will work with the can bus system on the RT.

I used a Signal Dynamics modulator and have had no problem with conflicts with Can Bus. It does require some different wiring method because of the shutter. I plan to write up I had did it after I get back home next week.

 

[ARtraveler]

In a lot of cases, it appears that the :spyder2: has a built in modulator system. When lights are in the low beam position, many people notice that the lights appear to flash as the :ani29: goes down the road.

Functional as a modulator and only noticeable when the :spyder2: is in motion.

 

[rb1]

Totally agree!!!

I wish EVERY Motorcycle and 3 wheeled Spyder, T-Rex etc came standard with
the modulators from the factory they get the drivers attention coming at you.
some try to get by with high beam lights, I am one of them... once you have
been hit by a car and survived you will do the same I don't want to get hit again
In this day and age people are texting, BSing on the phone messing around with the
fancy radios in the car and in general not watching the road ahead:yikes:, anything that can
wake them up is OK with me. :thumbup:
Dave

Totally agree!!

 

[Illinois Boy]

The brights or modulators will not cure this human fallacy. I know , or knew people with modulators and bright lights on who were killed anyway. They were not seen because of the human factor that they were looking for a car or truck and blocked out the motorcycle. Many studies have been done and the answer was always "I did not see him/her" because subconsciously they were looking for a car.

I know of two deaths where drivers intensionally pulled over halfway into the on coming lane because they "were pissed from bright lights from motorcycles driving with there brights on and not dimming them when proper both day and night."Drivers both later claimed they were blinded or fell asleep. We know better. I continue flashing my brights at two and three wheelers when annoyed by this.

The moral of the story is be considerate, use daylight running lights and don't ride with your brights on all the time. Modern day brights can be blinding and extremely annoying whether it be two, three or four wheels. When I lead this is part of my briefing. Now one wants to lead a formation that has there brights on. Every time you check the group all you get is one big glare.

Jack

For what it is worth... Page 80 of my RTS manual states the following below.

To Be More Visible to Other Motorists
Lighting and Reflectors
Make sure that the headlights, running lights and tail lights on your vehicle work properly. Your vehicle is equipped with reflectors on the fenders, sides, and back.
Make sure that all reflectors are clean and not broken or missing.
Use your high beams whenever possible, both day and night.
Use low beams to avoid blinding other motorists at night or when too much light reflects back, such as in fog.

 

[robmorg]

In a lot of cases, it appears that the :spyder2: has a built in modulator system. When lights are in the low beam position, many people notice that the lights appear to flash as the :ani29: goes down the road.

Functional as a modulator and only noticeable when the :spyder2: is in motion.

REALLY??

Have you witnessed this yourself? I wonder what would cause such a thing. :dontknow:. If the shutters are moving, I'd think l would notice that while driving at night.

 

[robmorg]

I used a Signal Dynamics modulator and have had no problem with conflicts with Can Bus. It does require some different wiring method because of the shutter. I plan to write up I had did it after I get back home next week.

Does the Signal Dynamics modulator system include a light sensor that disables them after dark?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Does the Signal Dynamics modulator system include a light sensor that disables them after dark?

Yes. All headlight modulators must have them. It's part of the Federal regulation that allows m/c to use them. Actually they turn off at dusk shortly after the sun sets. When the sun is low and I drive through the shadow of a hill or trees they will turn off. At that point I usually manually turn them off to avoid confusion caused by them turning off and on.

 

[tip]

modulators

why not have a modulator hooked to auxillary lighting - same effect and doesn't annoy we people that are sensitive to bright misalignsd lights?
just a thought!!

 

[retired1]

REALLY??

Have you witnessed this yourself? I wonder what would cause such a thing. :dontknow:. If the shutters are moving, I'd think l would notice that while driving at night.

I've seen and noticed this as I've met Spyders in daylight. I very seldom take the Spyder out after dark.

 

[ARtraveler]

REALLY??

Have you witnessed this yourself? I wonder what would cause such a thing. :dontknow:. If the shutters are moving, I'd think l would notice that while driving at night.

Really, and yes I have witnessed this many times. When my 2009 was following me and when the 2011 was following behind me. Unevenness in the road (as in up and down) causes the lights to appear to flash when the shutters are down for low beam operation.

This has actually been discussed a few times here on SL. The solution to the "problem" was posted a post or two above. Leave the lights on high beam day and night--per the manual. Move to low position if someone becomes annoyed.

 

[robmorg]

Really, and yes I have witnessed this many times. When my 2009 was following me and when the 2011 was following behind me. Unevenness in the road (as in up and down) causes the lights to appear to flash when the shutters are down for low beam operation.

Interesting. Still, I'm not sure I would want to count on sufficient "unevenness in the road" at just the right spot for someone to notice my lights flickering before they were getting ready to turn left in front of me.

Just a few weeks ago, I had some idiot in the approaching lane cut into my lane of traffic to begin a left turn in front of me. I slammed my foot on the brake and he saw me in time to swerve back into his own lane. He was far enough away that I probably could have come to a full stop, rather than plowing into him, but might not be so lucky next time.

 

[ARtraveler]

A downside to actual modulators that I have not mentioned. They do tend to "tick off" some of the other vehicles drivers, just like high beams on all the time.

Not saying that the "flashing effect" is the answer, but it happens frequently enough that you usually generate oncoming or frontal traffic's attention. Cars have actually pulled over because of the "flashing." This has also been mentioned in the aforementioned thread.

There really is no happy medium and I say to each their own. :thumbup:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

A downside to actual modulators that I have not mentioned. They do tend to "tick off" some of the other vehicles drivers, just like high beams on all the time.

Not saying that the "flashing effect" is the answer, but it happens frequently enough that you usually generate oncoming or frontal traffic's attention. Cars have actually pulled over because of the "flashing." This has also been mentioned in the aforementioned thread.

There really is no happy medium and I say to each their own. [emoji106]

True. But I'd much rather have someone see me & be PO'd at me than not see me & run over me! Just sayin'.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

 

[ARtraveler]

Originally Posted by akspyderman A downside to actual modulators that I have not mentioned. They do tend to "tick off" some of the other vehicles drivers, just like high beams on all the time.

Not saying that the "flashing effect" is the answer, but it happens frequently enough that you usually generate oncoming or frontal traffic's attention. Cars have actually pulled over because of the "flashing." This has also been mentioned in the aforementioned thread.

There really is no happy medium and I say to each their own.

WasWinger Quote:
"True. But I'd much rather have someone see me & be PO'd at me than not see me & run over me! Just sayin'.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk "

Like I said, "there really is no happy medium and I say to each their own."

Must be challenge akspyderman day today. :roflblack::roflblack:

 

[Art Mann]

One of the reasons I bought a Spyder is that the wide front profile is supposed to resemble a car and drivers don't have the same "motorcycle blindness" as with 2 wheeled vehicles. My first Goldwing had a headlight modulator and people would occasionally pull out in front of me anyway. My second Goldwing didn't have a modulator and I really couldn't tell any difference from my first one as far as on coming traffic was concerned.

 

[stevedfive]

So is it possible to connect the modulator to the fogights?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

So is it possible to connect the modulator to the fogights?

Should be able to but you'd have to come up with a different switch to turn them off/on. The Signal Dynamics modulator turns off/on by switching between low and high beams. The SD tech guy told me you could put a switch into the daylight sensor wire and that would turn them off/on.

One would have to check the Federal reg though to see if it would be legal. I kind of think the reg refers to headlights only.